8 questions to ask when choosing a
home health agency
Home health care is a specific type of home care. Desierto Home Healthcare suggests that you consider the following questions when selecting "visiting nurse" services through a home health care agency.
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Is the agency Medicare-Certified?
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Does the agency use its own employees or do they rely on contract staff?
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What are the agency’s hiring standards for professional and paraprofessional staff?
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What is the agency’s process for scheduling visits?
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What payment source does the agency accept?
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How does the agency coordinate care among my physicians and other health care providers?
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Does the agency make nurses available for emergencies?
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How do I voice my concerns with the agency?
Conclusion: You should play an active role in selecting an agency. Educating yourself about agency requirements and services will help you make an informed decision. Knowing which agencies meet your or your loved one's needs enhances the likelihood of a positive experience.
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Is the home health agency Medicare-certified?
Medicare establishes minimum requirements for home health agencies to provide care to those with Medicare benefits. Many health insurers require Medicare certification for an agency to provide care to their members. Departments of public health review home health agencies regularly to insure adherence to these requirements.
Some Medicare requirements include:-
Adhering to patient rights and confidentiality
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Supervising paraprofessional staff
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Coordinating care with the physician and other health workers
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Hiring standards for the home health agency’s administration
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Licensing of professional staff
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Responding to patient needs in a timely manner
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Maintaining medical records and documentation of care standards
Desierto Home Healthcare suggests that you consider Medicare-certified agencies during your search.
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Does the home health agency use its own employees or do they rely on contract staff? Home health agencies employ full-time and part-time professional staff. Home health agencies often cannot find adequate nursing, rehabilitation, or home health aide staff to meet all of their patients' needs. Many agencies contract with other providers or staffing agencies.
Desierto Home Healthcare suggests that you choose a home health agency that can provide the majority of your care with its own staff. Inconsistent staffing can be disruptive for patients. If contract staff is used, ask what role the agency has in hiring and supervising contract employees. Another consideration may be the availability of bilingual and culturally sensitive staff.
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What are the home health agency’s hiring standards for professional and paraprofessional staff?
Each home health agency establishes hiring standards according to the type of services the employee provides. Some of these requirements include:
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Verification of professional licensure for clinical staff, minimum educational requirements and prior home health experience
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Verification of paraprofessional staff's certification by an approved board, and annual competency skills assessment testing
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Criminal Offense Record Inquiries checks
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Annual in-servicing and continuing education for all employees
Desierto Home Healthcare suggests you inquire with a prospective agency about their hiring standards for employees to see that they meet the above-minimum requirements.
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What is the home health agency’s process for scheduling visits?
Home health agencies take into account overall agency needs as well as the needs of the individual patients when scheduling visits. Circumstances such as holidays, illnesses and weekends force agencies to prioritize staffing. Often, staff members arrange to visit at a certain time, but emergencies come up that delay or postpone a visit. It's important that patients and families remain open to the possibility of changes in visit schedules. It is equally important that patients notify the agency if they are not going to be home for a scheduled visit.
Desierto Home Healthcare suggests you ask the home health agency:-
How they schedule visits
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How they handle changes in visit schedules
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Also ask other patients and families who have used the agency how often visits occurred as planned
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What payment sources do home health agencies accept?
Home health agencies accept payment for services from a variety of sources. If the agency is Medicare-certified, skilled home health services will be covered according to Medicare rules. Most Medicare-certified home health agencies also accept payment from Medicaid or state-sponsored health insurance. Individual insurers and managed care plans contract with selected agencies that meet their requirements and cover home health services according to their benefits. See our guidelines on how to pay for home health care.
Desierto Home Healthcare suggests that you ask the agency what type of private insurance they accept to determine if your policy can help cover the services provided. Note: be sure to ask about expenses not covered by your insurance. The agency should advise you before they provide care if there are any services you need to pay for outright.
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How does the home health agency coordinate care with my physicians and other health care providers?
Communication is key to achieving your health care goals. Agency nurses and therapists should monitor your care and regularly report progress or changes to your physician. Agencies should immediately contact your physician if there is a sudden change in your health and if there is a need to change any treatments. At a minimum, the agency must verify the doctor's orders every 62 days.
Desierto Home Healthcare suggests that you make sure the agency tells you how often their staff will communicate with your doctor and other health professionals about your home care plan and your progress. If you have more than one physician, be sure all agencies involved with your care know which physician provides your primary medical treatment. When you have questions, do not be afraid to communicate concerns directly with your physician.
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Does the home health agency make nurses available for emergencies?
During regular office hours an agency may be able to provide an urgent home visit to assist with non-life threatening emergencies. When offices are closed, agencies still generally make a nurse available for urgent situations. The nurse may not be available to make a visit, but will answer calls and advise patients and families over the phone. Some agencies employ an answering service to inform the nurse on call.
Desierto Home Healthcare suggests you choose a home health agency that has licensed professional staff available to answer emergency calls 24 hours per day. Ask the agency to explain their after-hours policies. The agency nurse on call should be able to return calls within half an hour, or sooner if the call is urgent.
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How do I voice my concerns with the agency?
Home health agencies strive to provide high-quality care. However, you may encounter problems during the course of your relationship with the agency. If a patient or family member feels that the care received was inadequate, they should inform the agency. If you are impressed with the quality of the services provided, you should also communicate that to the agency. Many agencies request that patients complete a satisfaction survey once services have ended.
Desierto Home Healthcare suggests that you voice any concerns you have with the home heath agency nurse or therapist first. If the nurse is unable to resolve your concern, call the agency's administrator. The agency should welcome feedback from patients and family and should quickly rectify any problems that exist.
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Conclusion: You should play an active role in selecting the agency that will be providing care to you or your loved one. Educating yourself about the requirements and services offered by agencies is the best way to make the most informed decisions. Knowing which agencies meet your individual needs enhances the likelihood of a successful recovery.
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